Soccer Metropolis U.S.A. is prepared for a brat summer season.
Thursday night, the Portland Bangers held their inaugural match in opposition to Bigfoot F.C. from Maple Valley, Washington.
Regardless of the rain, regardless of the 0-3 loss, the gang in Northeast Portland had nothing however enthusiasm for town’s new USL League Two males’s soccer workforce.
Merch gross sales have been brisk at a tent promoting Bangers scarves, hats and T-shirts, considered one of which proclaimed the workforce as “the wurst factor that’s occurred to Portland.”
Signature Zenner’s Bangers sausages have been bought out a half-hour earlier than kick-off (although customary sizzling canine, aka Dillon Dawgs, have been nonetheless out there).
And followers flocked to Saucy T. Sausage, the towering, 11-foot anthropomorphic sausage mascot, with a mixture of each revulsion and reverence.
“There’s a little bit little bit of hesitancy as a result of it’s a little bit bit nightmare gasoline, however we’re right here for it,” stated new Bangers fan Madi Taylor.
“He instills a large amount of concern into me, in a really good and pleasant approach,” stated Veronica Oh. “I don’t wish to make an excessive amount of eye contact.”
“It appears like a wholesome turd, to be sincere,” stated Claire Contreras, a nurse who has seen her fair proportion of turds. “Kind 4 on the Bristol scale.”
Maybe most shocking — threatening? disturbing? — was the mascot’s texture. In contrast to Dillon, his counterpart with the Portland Pickles, Saucy just isn’t your customary plush mascot creation. The sausage has a leathery, agency, wrinkled pores and skin, from which two twin “sausage hyperlink” braids sprout on the prime of its head.
“It appears like a sausage that’s been ignored for a minute,” stated Kevin Kelley.
Over within the supporters part — the place the drums, flags and banners reign — new soccer chants have been fashioned on the spot.
At one level, the gang began singing Ricky Martin’s 25-year-old hit, “She Bangs.”
And Sean Cumming was credited with developing with: “We’re pink. We’re inexperienced. We go effectively with mash and beans.”
However unlucky placement for the supporters part meant probably the most hardcore followers couldn’t see one of many objectives and had no view of the scoreboard, which was blocked by restrooms.
After attending an earlier preview recreation on the stadium, season ticket holder Spencer Younger attended the house opener with a poster board signal that learn “These Seats Suck.”
“Any person didn’t have a look at the plans or they didn’t do the mathematics proper,” he stated. “I do know rising pains, I’m not going to be that man, however that is elementary fundamentals.”
Nonetheless, even he had nothing however variety phrases in regards to the mascot.
“I like Saucy, all of us love Saucy,” he stated. “I’m vegan, and I’d eat Saucy.”
The Bangers subsequent play at their house stadium at 2800 N.E. Liberty St., College of Oregon’s Northeast Portland campus (previously Concordia College), at 2 p.m. Might 25 in opposition to Snohomish United. Tickets can be found at bangerstickets.com.
— Samantha Swindler covers options for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Right here is Oregon. Attain her at sswindler@oregonian.com.
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